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The roots of folklore of Devon & Cornwall became established from the beliefs of the ancient Celtic inhabitants. Long ago, before Wesley brought Christianity to Cornwall, the Celtic people of Britain were of Druid beliefs. Throughout history most of Britain has been repeatedly invaded and the original culture, lore and beliefs diluted successively with each invasion. Only areas which were remote enough, escaped this obliterative dilution of the original druid culture and folklore. Devon and Corwall are amoungst these. These people did not worship a deity. They worshiped the land, the sky, water, the cycles of the seasons, cycles of life and death, cycles between fertility and barronness. Their worship was the appreciation of the providence of nature itself. As they studied these cycles and their relationship to the cycles of hardship and plentiousness, much remained clouded in mystery. From this mystery, an abundance of folklore and superstitions emerged. Their medicine relied on knowledge of the properties of natural plants, together with sympathetic magical cures. Wells were extremely important to survival, so often protected by curses that anyone damaging them would be haunted by piskies (hoards of moths which swarmed by night and were believed to embody the spirits of the dead) - later in history, these become the pixies which the two counties are still renowned for. A rich selection of folklore of the "supernatural" from these two counties is still known today. So if you wish to visit back through the fathomless mists of time to re-kindle your childhood feelings of mystery and awe for nature, entering the beliefs of the early culture of Devon & Cornwall  |
